Automobile tractor-vehicle.



0. A. Hows.

AUTOMOBILE TRACTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14.1912- Patented June 5, 1917.

6 HEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR wrmuasszs O. A. HOLLIS.

AUTOMOBILE TRACTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.1 1.1912.

Patented June 5, 191 Q 6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESQEIS 0. A. HOLLIS.

AUTOMOBILE TRACTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATIDH nuzo 050.14, 1912.

Paterited June 5,1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSE$ INVENTO" 0. A. HOLLIS.

Ammwmi TRACTOR VEHICLE.

APPLl'LF-HMI) FILED DEC. I4, 1912- Patented June 5, 1917; 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES WITNESSES 0. A. HOLLiS. AUTOMOBILE TRACTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED 0512.14. 1912.

Patented June 5, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

INVENTOH Patented June 1917 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

L Ll C9 4 V WI DnPw ILOE L 0 A A N M0 O A MC I TH UP A WITNESSES eras Paras were.

OTIS A. HOLLIS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASEEIGLW MENTS, TO HOLLIS AUTOMATIC TRACTION JACK COMPANY, OF- PITTSBURGH, PENN SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAVIARE.

AUTOMOBlILE TRACTOR-VEHICLE.

Application filed December 1'4, 1912.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, (has A. House, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Tractor-Vehicles,

such a machine as to adapt it for ready con version either into an efficient tractor or a' truck at will,the attaining of which object involves certain new ideas in the arrangement ofdriving mechanism by which the driving mechanism is in art the steering mechanism and is adapted to turn the "vehicle in place with positive and direct drive.

' In other words, my primary'design is to give an automobile tractor-truck a greater etliciency and economy than heretofore attained, in part by eliminating the difiiculty of requiring a motion of t 'anslation in order to attain a motion of turning around, and in part by avoiding waste of energy in applying the driving force in a line outside the line of movement of the weight, etc. I have illustrated the invention in one preferred form, with various other improvements, in the accompanying drawings wherein A Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine showing a mode of separation of the tractor and the rear truck platform, and.

Fig. 2 shows the machine converted into a short base tractor by supplying a pair of additional idle wheels.

, detailed side elevations showing a mode of attaching such additional wheels. Fig. i is a,partial vertical section through the frame of the machine in the rear of the drivin wheels and on the left a central vertica section through the driving and steering mechanism of the wheels, the section line being taken along the line (4) {4), in Fi 5..

Fig. 4 is a detail of the driving w eel clutch. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine in thecondition of Fig. 1 with the floor and seat and other parts removed. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section Specification of Letters Patent.

Figs. 1 and 3 are 7 Patented June 5, 191?.

Serial No. 736,807.

taken along the line (6) (6) in Fig." 5. Figs. '7 and 8 are respectively an additional plan and an additional vertical section for illustrating the power steering mechanism hereafter described.

So far as I am aware there has not been heretofore any. truck or load carrying vehicle which is easily convertible into an efficient tractor; this because trucks are provided with a lon base and a long base is fatal to a properly acting tractor for such work as drawing farm implements, for example. Neither has there been heretofore any truck or traction automobile which was capable of turning around in place without waste of power by reason of the application of the frictional driving force in a line tangential to the line of movement of the whole vehicle rather than directly in the line of movement. For instance, no prior vehicle could literally turn around in place; and even on making a short turn a lar a part of the thrust was wasted by the tent ency to slide the steering wheels laterally to their plane of revolution. I overcome both these dilliculties, and secure other advantages, by using not one but two elements corresponding to what is commonly; called the fifth wheel and in driving by means of vertically resilient mounting of wheels, which can turn completely on a fixed verti cal axis of the vehicle. By this expedient also, I attain a four-point supporting base fonthe load, with the virtual three-point suspension gained by the use of the so-called fifth wheel. In other words the virti supporting point of one end of the much is the mean or center'point on a line between the two actual weight-carrying sup ports of the machine, while these weight carrying supports are free to independently move vertically and accommodate themselves to the contour of the ground. Prefer- :ahly. I provide a drop frame as shown in Fig. 1' with a working recess or offset in the frame which need not be wider than one half the natural wheel base. There are also certa n advantages in driving a traction. truck by the front wheels, especially when such ivheels are capable of turning in any position without moving the frame of the truck.

In. the figures, I show a steel drop frame 9 having a rearward platform extension 10 Figs. 2 and3.

adapted to couple to la platform 1l as by coupling bar 11, and carrying idle wheels 12, and adapted to as low a base as the need may warrant. The central portion carries the columns 13' 'Withthe driving wheels 14, v and. the frame. has a forward drop 15 upon which I mount the engine and steering mechanism, eteg, and at the extreme end of which I provide a boxing 16 for the arboraxles 17 of an extra pair of idle wheels 17 as shown With the machine a rrangedes in Fig. 1

' and connectedby the connectingbar 11, I

have a motor truck, afull width low frame, a long hauling base driven by front wheels which by reason.of the forward overhang 15 supports practically all the weight of the machine itself on the driving wheels 14; whereas, as arranged in Fig. 2, I may have a tractor of very short base, butfull width andlow center of gravity with the capability of making a complete turn in place ranged in a boxing 21 (as shown in Fig. 4

' direction.

,asj'to form an automatic clutch allowing the relative movement of the axle 18 and the wheel boxing 21 freely in one direction while.

preventing relative movement in the other It will be understood that the bearing slots of the rollers-20 are somewhat inclined so as to grip the roller on the axle 18 and the rollers are held in proper place by springs 22. By this means any one of the wheels 14 may become an idle wheel while its mate is driving in a forward direction giving a positive drive in one of each pairof wheels inmaking the turn.

The axle 18 has pinned on it a bevel gear 23 meshing with a bevel gear 24 removably set on a squared head 25 of a vertical shaft 26, which head and shaft are carried in the axle housing 27 carrying the ball. bearings 28 for support of the vehicle. The upward extending hollow-shank 27 of the housing 27 rides freely in a column housing 29, with which it forms an air dashpot and within which I also provide] a coil spring 30. The housing 29 is fixed'to the frame 9 of the machine, and at its upper end has a boxing for a worm-gear 31 arranged on ballbearings therein and attached to.a vertical s1. eve 32 within which the shaft 26 of the gear head 25 is splined, so that the shaft 26 revolves with the sleeve 32 but has free vertical motion in res ect thereto under influence of spring 30. hus the weight of the vehicle is supported on the axle housing 27 of the wheels 14 by the spring 30 and cushioned in all movements by the air in the dashpot (29).

'In order to :1 ply the normal driving power to the driving wheels 14, the gear 31 of the sleeve 32 is engaged by a worm 33 (more clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6), mountedcon shaft 34, which in turn is provided with a helical gear 35, driven by worm 36 on a shaft 37 which, as more clearly shown in Figs.. 5 and 6, is driven through a spur wheel'38 and chain 39, from a sprocket on the shaft 40 of the engine 41. 42 is a flywheel on the same shaft. The form and mounting of the engine is immaterial to my invention.

The steering of the vehicle is accomplishedby the drive wheels themselves, and 15 either a hand or power steering, as desired. Thus,

again referring to Figs. 4 and 5, I mount in a boxing 13 and on the column 29, a hollow column 13 which carries a worm gear 43 meshing with a worm 44 (Fig. 6) on the shaft 45, which shaft, by. means of bevel gears 46 and 47 (Fig. 5) isturned by shaft 48 in anyc'onvenient manner. The

"shaft 48 is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 as geared up to the vertical steering shaft 49 turned by the handwheel 50; but I prefer to use a power steering device, and this is one of the important features of my invention. It is more clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The shaft 51, which by bevel gearing 52 is directly attached "and operated by the handwheel 50, may be also power operated by bevel gear 53, on shaft 54, driven by a spur wheel 55 and chain 56 from a sprocket 57 on the main shaft 40 of the motor. The

gear 53 is thrown into engagement, either forward, neutral or reverse, with the gearing 52, by means of a lever and link mechanism 58 operated by a small arm'59 on the bottom of central shaft 59 in the steering column 60 supporting the handwheel 50; the shaft 59 being turned by a small handle 61 'or inany other convenient manner. That is, a simple movement of the handle 61 will apply power to the steering shaft 51 so as to rotate it in either direction, according to the engagement of the clutch 58-, which may be of any ordinary construction.

It will be understood that in using the machine as a tractor as in Fig. 1, the steering is accomplished by the drivewheels 14,:

I regard the till account of friction be practically impossible with a single drivewheel in place of my pair of drive-wheels on a common vertical axis, I prefer to use at 58 in Fig. 8 a clutch which will admit of differential application of power as well as of reversal, but this clutch may be of any common or approved form.

The peculiar combination of an axle having'wheels rotatably mounted thereon with one way clutches, and the reversibility of the mechanism which revolves said axle, has another very important functiomto wit, the shifting of the virtual axis of rotation'for steering. That is to say, when the axle 18 is turning forward, one or the other of the drive wheels must engage it and in turn on gage the earth and become the moving virtual axis of rotation by which the other wheel moves, running idly on the axle. lhat is the axis of the thrning of the steering wheels, when the vehicleis moving, is the tread of the wheel on the inside radius. On the other hand, a stationary turning of the steering wheel about the virtual axis in the tread of the wheel is very undesirable on and otherwise, and by the provision of reversing able to shift the virtual axis of turning to the neutral point, that is, the center of the column 27, between the two wheels. When the axle 18 is revolving backward, or free. to revolve baclnvard, of course neither wheel is gripped upon it and both wheels are idle, so that it becomes easy to shift the position of the drive wheels in a stationary condition.

Referring again to' Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it will be noted that by splining the tubular shank of head 27 in column 18 and the shaft 26 in the inner sleeve 32, the assembly and removal of the parts is simple and easy and the power for rotating wheels 14 on their axles and also for revolving them about a vertical center, is correctly applied at the same point in the frame so that the thrust for both purposes is taken up by tl1e-ho1i--- zontal beam 9 directly, while the thrust on the two gears and i6 is also in line with the beams of the frame. I regard these fea tures as important since I thus avoid diagorial stress in all the actions.

It will be observed that by the above de scribed mechanism I accomplish two important and fundamental improvements in such vehicles. By applying the weight as I do, i am enabled to use the steering wheels as drivers, and by dividing the steering base, using two pairs of driving wheels instead of one, this change is rendered possible. Steering by any other than the driving wheels is disadvantageous for two important reasons. First, the thrust of the drivewheels, when making a turn, is at an angle with the di rection of progress'of the steering wheel, and secondly the turning moment is not apthe gearing I am such cases.

plied about a point of friction on the ground, but isapplied about an axis located outside the tween two wheels, so that I accomplish a rolling turn instead of a frictional turn. Along with these advantages, 1 have the advantage of literally turning in place Without any friction. When the vehicle gets in a rut for example, it is not limited as to the direction in which it may be propelled in order to get out, and the whole power may be applied in any direction, and without any sliding friction. This renders the machine as arranged in Fig. 2 especially eiticient for dragging farm implements such as plows, etc., and in the truck as arranged in Fig. 1 it permits of the machines turning in any place not less than its length, and with full power. My construction also improves the machines ability as a hill climber,-because the application of the tractive power is always tangential to that surface upon which the driving wheel at the Il oment rests, which is not the case with a rear wheel driven vehicle. It will be seen moreover that in any position of the vehicle, it may be, without moving the body at all, driven by direct force of the engine in any direction desired. That is, the act of backing up may be accomplished by literal forward movement of the engine and drive wheels instead of reversing as is, usual in The ability to reverse by reversing the position of the drive wheels-instead of reversing the movement of the speed gears, I find to be a great advantage.

It is .to be noted also that by the use of four drive wheels instead of two I eliminate bending strains in the frame of the vehicle by applying the pull of the driving wheels at points equally distant on two sides of the point of application of the force to the frame. By this means bending strains on the axle and frame are practically avoided and at the same time the lever arm for application of the power in curve is shortened by half, thus rendering the power more eificient, for example the point of application of the power to the periphery of the worm wheel 43 is of very small distance from the fulcrum point on the ground at the base of the inside driving wheel, whereas with a vehicle having two driving wheels this lever arm must be at least half the widthfof the total wheel base.

As above pointed out, in the act of steering' the vehicle while in motion, the fulcrum point of the steering turn is in the tread of the inside wheel. this reason the application of the steering power in revolving the column 27, causing the outside wheel to move faster than the inside wheel causes Lhe outside wheel to run idly on the axle and the application of all the power to the which is on the intread of the wheel and begoing around a It will be noted that for lilo side of the turn. That is to say, the appliration of the power for turning 183600111- plished on the inside of the circumference of turning and-is the combined power of the normal driving and of the steering devices. As no power is employed otherwise than for 'drivingthe wheel straight forward in the directiorrof pull, it will be" seen that this accomplishes a great nnprovement over the ordinary automobile vehicle, which applies thepower on the outside wheel and requires more power for going around a curve than for going in a straight line, because the thrust of the driving wheel is not in the direction of movement of the vehicle at any one instant, but is in a direction tangential to the curve of the turn.

I believe I am the first to provide a vehicle requiring no more power in making a moving turn thanin a straight forward movement, and moreover the first to provide for turning the vehicle and the steering mechanism either in motion or when stationary without any sliding friction or any application of power in any other than the direction of progression. Again, it will be observed that after a turn is made there is a tendency of the driving wheel and of the entire vehicle to automatically resume a position for straight forward progression. I have already pointed out that the vehicle disclosed is capable of being turned around without any forward'progression whatever, and I point out that this is a condition not attained by any previously known vehicle.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim is the following 1'. A self-propelling combined tractor and truck comprisinga frame adaptedfor attachment of idle wheels at either end thereof, and having at intermediate positions a plurality of pairs of universally revoluble driving wheels, combined with an engine and gearing connected to said wheels and adapted to both drive and steer thereby.

2. A self-propelling combined tractor and motor truck comprising a frame having an upward recess therein and a detachable por ,tion at one end carryingidle wheels, means to attach and detach idle wheels at the other end of the frame, and a plurality of pairs.

' of power in the direction of movement of said axlesof said pairs of wheels, and thereby one only of said wheels.

5. .k motor vehicle having idle rear wheels and two pairs of front driving wheels, each pair of driving wheels being mounted with one-way clutches on axles adapted. to turn 360 degrees on a vertical axis, and meansto positively drive the axle and one wheel only of each pair in any position, substantially as described.

6. A motor vehicle provided with combined driving and steering wheels, said wheels being mounted in pairs on axles in turn mounted for universal radius of position, and the wheels engaging the same by one-way automatic clutches, whereby the vehicle is adapted to be completely turned .around in place and driven in any direc-. tion by direct thrust on the driving wheel inthe line of movement.

7. In a motor vehicle, the combination with an engine and'framc of a combined steering and driving mechanism comprising a'short horizontal axle carrying two driving wheels mounted-on a completely revoluble vertical column, means for allowing resilient collapse'of the vertical column, power operated means to revolve the vertical column aiid power gearing to rotate said wheel axle, said wheels being attached.

to said axle by a self-releasing clutch, sub; stantially as described.

8. In a motor vehicle, driving means comprising several pairs of wheels supported on horizontal axles and said axles mounted for complete revolution on a vertical axis, the drive wheels being provided with means to grip the axle upon relative mgvement in one dlrection and to releasein the' o'ther direction, a single motor and gearing to constantly drive both said horizontal axles, and gearing to revolve the pair of wheels about said vertical axle. 9. A motor vehicle having several pairs of driving wheels on axles resiliently mounted under the frame of the vehicle on fixed .vertical axes, means to adjust'each pair of wheels in any position on the vertical axis and a motor and gearing adapted to positively drive said wheels 1n any position.

10. In a motor vehicle, the combination lie with the frame and the motor, a drive wheel mounted on a horizontal axle, a revoluble vertical column supporting said horizontal axle, and supporting the vehicle frame through a collapsible spring, a relatively movable sleeve splined on said column and provided with a gear and worm f aring llll ' mg e forward extensive, e 03.1 seiel extension, fixed ii e Wheels on ille reel" er fire-mt of the frame e, dmible set 03": uni versally memltile drive Wheels suppemieg the from of ell." frame are two paints, Wl'bll. in lepex'ldent v .4 amnion and gearing 1'20 drive said Wheels and to rev-elm each pair 011 ils vei'izlcel. axis.

In a mete-x" vehicle, the cumbinetion with frame, in engine, and two imits of drive wheels, of e elm-ft simultaneously in bath {321-1119 of Wheels i/hmugli a warm gear and e splined cellapslale we licel 001 111111, mlislemizi ll desmdleecl.

13. in :1 meme dri en @bruelat, esmbi a tion with 2i 813339 an engine, :1 l0: tucliimlly Aged pee'er limit e a Emm verse slmf when by wemi ring lirem the pe wer sheik, e tubular v icai ellei't driven by "Warm grazing fi-mn said lama verse slmft e hens surrounding ti *el. tubular elmft, e lmllo w vertical 001mm said housing d arming daslipot there with, e geer Wheel in said column liming e vertleel stem teleseoping; seiel. hollew VBK' 'rticel d1? vine; shaft and splinecl. thei'eii'l and a, pair e1 driving Wheels eeicl column driven by said gear.

lire a, meter vehicle, a mounting fer 2 pair of pen-e2: driving wheels, comyrislng 2m mile hex carrying a vertical gearing 4, a hollow tubular shank, 2i housing telee oping the saicl tu'beler shank ll) farm a cle-ehp-au, a, tubular vertical driving shaft mounted in seicl llousizi 1d telescop ing and splinecl on Silifl vertical elem m: the

Wheel driving geer, a, supplemenml tubular vertical. column splineel upem axle lyfllfi: ing eiet bensinn, and also meunled in said, frame heusing, and gearing lei" mining said letter column and independentl turn-- ing lhe we inner hollow driving shaft.

15, In driving means for automobile vehides, the combination with a rigid frame and a fixed vertical housing 29, of a hollow vertical (liiving: Sllkl'ffi and elmllew vex 'blcel-eulumn mmmted in said housing, a]. wheel in said. column having a driving elem snlinerl inle the lu'bulei sheik 32, tubule? etilumn revelnbly mmmizecl. rm 'Zlze m2, side elf said l'mueing: and splizzerl meme filletubular gearing; celunm pfev'ideil with.

. flhe Worm gear, subsienlaielly es el eerlbed.

15. In (lriviiig mechanism fer miller ve- 1 f, .1 A melee, lne combmetmn with me name and.

e liollew' boxing of an axle carrying i tubule:- eelumn leesely mounted, in said mer ing illlil. carrying a Wheel shafi, a hollew vei'izieel. driving shefl; else mounted in the hazing eml splinecl on said wheel gear shaft, e seconcl verlical hollow 0011111111 13 riding leosely on the boxing but splineal to the Wl eel suppelting column, an axle and drive Wheels 011 suicl wheel supporting column, and gearing for applying power to indepenelently rotate like said. column 13 and the hollew Vertical driving shell; 32'.

17.; An auipmobile driving mechailism comprising eeellepsible telesceping vel'tieel column fuming a zlzishpot and. con'ml ing e coil spring, gearing farm the drive wheels insiele Said column. and. pew/e1 op- 18. A veliiele compl'ising a. meter 31 f eombinerl sie ing ,an(l lri:ving wheels mmmlae on an axle cll'iven'by seia'l xmllor and. having one Way automatic cluelies engaging the axle, ami means he.) rotate the axle backward and thus release both clutches in erder i0 neutralize said axle and, permit turning Witbeut gripping either Wheel. 4

119. In a 3.2101301" vehicle, the combination with frame 2m meter eml e pair cf (hi M ing Wheels mmmtecl en en. axle supported t0 slaving a vertical pivsi l, and il pair of me-uniieil Sillil. axl with clutches engaging; the axle in ene digestion Gilly, the meter having, devices l0 reveizsely relate said e-Xle will independent power driven means l0 Wm the wheel axle su pa l, substantially as clescril'aeal.

21). A. lmelzer for farm vehicles comprisframe lzeving an upwardl recess and .iaiei'm on the end. .of the ilqe t0 intei'lcled l/O be me teamed. 10ml, e pair of cellepsible and meet. lrle vertiiral columns the l'eeess 0f the heme, each eelumn supplied with a elwrl; llm'izontel aide, idle Wheels Willi aux-- mi-Jamie onewey clutches on the encls of. said axle, and gearing inclosed Within. the veryti'cel eelunm and connected he seiilengi le UTIS) A. HOLLIS.

1 Rank; Swim,

J0 EAILY BRQWN, 

